Omaha daily bee., 1887-12-26
HOW CHRISTMAS Was SPENT.
The Churches Well Attended and
Beautifully Decorated.
IE UNHAPPY HOUSEHOLD.
ONE
The Husband Knocked the Merrinient
Out of the Day--Cupid Makes
the Bells sRing-PersonaIs
and Locals.
The Holy Holiday,

TOSe III u perfectly clOuuleSS shy. anu tnc at
mosphere was cool and bracing. but not too
cold for comfort. The comparatively few VINO
arose in time TO enjoy the earlier hours were
impressed with the perfectness Of the day,
and expressed hearty wishes for MERRY
Christmas" and the continued happiness and
prosperity Of their friends. The day, on the
whole. was unusually quiet throughout the
city. The printers ball of the preceding
night was prolonged until o'clock IN the
morning. and the tired dancers slept the
greater portion of the day, many not appear
ing on the streets until late in the afternoon.
The various churches were well filled at the
morning services, after which the cOngrega-
tions dispersed to give their undivided atten-
tion TO their Christmas dinners. The hotels
took advantage of the occasion and all made
extensive preparations. Some of the spreads
were very elaborate. The number of mar
ried men who took their families to dine at
the hotels was very large. A change seemed
to be much appreciated. Many of the regu-
lar hotel bOarders received invitations to
break bread in private families, and eagerly
accepted. A season of feasting was gener.
ally INDUCED in. Later in the day the usual
crowds congregated about the hotels and
places of Sunday amusement.
Several of the business men of the city re-
membcred their employees with valuable to-
kens of appreciation for faithful service. The
travelling emissaries of nearly all the whole
sale houses in the city were at home and
spent the day in the bosoms of their families.
THE CATHOLICS.
There were services at the Catholic church
nearly all of yesterday. The night before
the priests were busy hearing confessions
until after 10 o'clock. Yesterday morning
there were about four hundred who partook
of the communion. The Christmas offering
was for the priests and the amount of the
OffertOry was $3.50. The only decorations of
the church were about the altar These were
very elaborate and arranged with taste.
CONGREGATIONAL.
At the Congregational church the pastor.
Rev. g. w. Crofts, in the morning preached
strongly upon the high mission of Christ.
His sermon was one of his best and was very
attentively listened to. The church was
pleasingly decorated. Across the organ
pipes was the name "lcsus' in letters of
gold upon a background of green. There
were on cloths of white, in letters of green,
on one side of the pulpit "Son of God" on
the opposite side Lamb of God" and just
above the pulpit '1mmanucln The pulpit
was draped in white, and in front upon
circle of evergreens rested the form of u
white dove. There We're two other white
doves, one on each side of the organ loft
In the evening there was one of the finest
song services, or sacred concerts, ever given
in this city The choir consisted of Mrs.
Wadsworth, soprano; Mrs. Evans, alto; Mr..
Westcott, tenor and Mr. NcDermid bass;
Prof. De Normandie presidee at the organ
This is one of the strongest chors in the
city, and last night they did themselves
special credit.
THE BAPTIsTs.
The decorations at the Baptist church were
but partially made yesterday. Tomorrow
evening being the time of festivity there that
auditorium will be beautifully embellished
for the occasion. The service was one APP
propratc to the day Isaiah prophesied,'
said DR.. Cooley, "that the name of Christ
should be called Wonderful" Directing his
hearers to this thought the speaker con-
tinued: 1.-The time of the year has come
when all christians are reminded of the
nativity Of our Lord, and by them his birth
is everywhere cOmmemorated. 1t is, and
ought to be, time Of of Joy and gadness,
time of gifts and rejoicing and all cnmitics
are forgotten and peace prevails. In predict
ing his coming the prophet uses various terms
descriptive of his person und his works.
Christ is wonderful because of the prophe-
cies concerning him. When man sinned there
was immediately given the promise to our
first parents, "It shall bruise thy head" TO
Abraham it was said: "In thy seed shall all
the nations of the earth be blessed;" to
Moses. "A prophet like unto thee Lord your
God rise up fxom the midst of thy brethren
like unto me. Unto him shall ye hcarken:"
to David, "God had sworn with an oath to
him that of the fruit of his loins he would
set one upon his thronc;" to Isaiah, "And
there shall come forth rod out of the stem
u u
roOts.n
Christ was wonderful in the types and
service symbolizing him; in tho shaping of
| all events in the history of the world previous
to His coming and the changes which have
| followed as Il result Of His coming. He was
wonderful in the circumstances Of His birth
the star in the east, the song of the angels
and the coming of the wise men. In His ma
turc he WAS hOth God and man. He was
wonderful in his sinless life, in his marvel
,utt md Innt1 l,
| in his doctrines and teaching; in his death
| and resurrection, and in his glory.
| WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS.
ST. Paul's Episcopal church is made very
beautiful for the holiday season. The chancel
is faced with triple arch, each part sur
mounted with cross. The central one bears
| u suspended star symbOlizing the ''star in the
| east" Every facade, door, window, etc, is
decorated and symbols of life, death and I'M
| mortality are profusely distributed. These
are in evergreen, holly and natural flowers.
The embellishments are tasteful as well rs
appropriate and suggestive. Yesterday
morning the rector, Rev. r. j. Macley, de-
; livered an eloquent DISCOURSE In opening he
said: ut is strange that to-day, in all the
world, bells are ringing, happy voices are
| chanting and everything is vocal with praise
and thanksgiving. Friend greots friend and
with hearty hand-clasp they wish each
| other u Merry Christmas" The teacher of
| righteousness cXhorts his hearers to greater
| fidelity TO the principles commemoratcd by
| d9y. All this is to celebrate the birth of a
| little child who nearly two Thousand years
ago lay in a manager in one OF the stables OF
| Bethlehem. He came as millions Of children
! had come before. He bore no crown rs a
| mark of regal authority and yet the eyes OF
the world were attracted to him and to-day
| acknowledge his dominion. The Christ Child
was not less human than your child or mine.
He was more human than they, but all the
humanitics were purified by the indwcliinG
godhead. The coming of Christ was not an